Trailer Teases Whitney Houston Documentary's Debut At Cannes

Anticipation for the documentary Whitney has reached a fever pitch, especially because cooperation by Whitney Houston's estate promises to make the film the "definitive look" at her legacy. On May 16 audiences at the Cannes Film Festival in the French Riviera got to see the doc for the first time. Now, the general public has gotten a taste in the form of a trailer.

Hitting theaters on July 6, the documentary culls exclusive archival footage as well as interviews to round out the story, including Bobby Brown, The Bodyguard co-star Kevin Costner, Clive Davis, and members of Houston's family.

"I had final cut of the film and would not have made it without that contractual security," Whitney director Kevin McDonald told the Cannes Festival. "I admire the family for being open-minded enough to allow me to make the film I wanted."

The filmmaker's previous music documentaries have focused on Mick Jagger and Bob Marley. As the reviews begin to come in from the French Riviera, McDonald said he judges his works by a single criterion. "I'm bored by 'icons,'" said McDonald. "I always think that the criterion for judging a film about an artist is the question: 'Do you appreciate their art more after watching my film?' If the answer is yes, then I have succeeded."

Flashback To 1993: A Good Year In Music Or The Best Year In Music?

Looking back from 25 years later, a case is being made for 1993 as a remarkable year in music. There are so many ways to look at it, but NPR's World Cafe is definitely a fan, recently posing the question, "Was 1993 the greatest year in music?" While the world may never agree, it's certainly worth exploring...

Early in the year, looking back at 1992, the Record Of The Year at the 35th GRAMMY Awards went to Eric Clapton's "Tears In Heaven." At the 36th GRAMMY Awards for 1993, Record Of The Year went to Whitney Houston for "I Will Always Love You" from the soundtrack to The Bodyguard. Much of the music from that year is still dearly loved.

It was also the year Wu-Tang Clan debuted with Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). It was the year of Bjork's Debut, after the break-up of her group, The Sugarcubes. Her Best Music Video-Short Form nomination for "Human Behavior" at the 36th GRAMMY Awards was her first of 14 career-total nominations to date.

Noteworthy first-time GRAMMY winners for 1993 include Toni Braxton and Dr. Dre. The soundtrack to the movie Boomerang produced "Another Sad Love Song" winning Best R&B Performance, Female for Braxton, who also won Best New Artist. The ultimate cruising anthem "Let Me Ride" from The Chronic gave Dr. Dre his first GRAMMY win for Best Rap Solo Performance. Toni Braxton has won a total of seven GRAMMY Awards to date and Dr. Dre has won six.

NPR went ahead to round up a great many more classics and choice little-known tracks.. For example, more 1993 artists that were just beginning to come into GRAMMY focus were Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLachlan. It is amazing to explore one year in music with such a lasting impact on today and so many tracks that one can close one's eyes and remember hearing so many meaningful times.

Whitney, a new documentary on the life and legacy of Whitney Houston, is now officially in the works with Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald -- who directed the Bob Marley documentary Marley -- and Houston's estate both on board.

May 20, 2015 – 12:37 pm

Whitney Houston Wins Album Of The Year

The film will offer a "definitive look" at Houston's legacy, and will feature, "previously unreleased recordings, rare never-before-seen footage and live performances recorded by Houston at various stages her life, as well as original studio recordings and acapellas of some of the late singer’s greatest hits," according to Rolling Stone.

Houston's remarkable career spawned many magical moments and massive hit songs, earning her 25 GRAMMY nominations including six career GRAMMY wins. Perhaps her most well-known career highlight, however, was Houston's role in the film The Bodyguard and its record-breaking soundtrack, for which she won three GRAMMYs at the 36th GRAMMY Awards including Album Of The Year, plus Record Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance for her version of Dolly Parton's 1974 ballad "I Will Always Love You."

Macdonald detailed his angle on the project in a statement, saying, "I approached Whitney's life like a mystery story; why did someone with so much raw talent and beauty self-destruct so publicly and painfully? I was lucky enough to have the support of Pat Houston and the Whitney Houston estate in this quest. They entrusted me with the 'keys to the vault' while giving me complete freedom to follow the story wherever it went. At heart, Whitney is an intimate family story that reveals a new side to a woman that even her most die-hard fans never knew."

"To tell Whitney's story, you have to know her story," Patricia Houston, manager and executor of Houston's estate said in a statement. "We could not be more excited that Whitney's fans will have this authoritative and definitive documentary chronicling the full arc or her career and the scope of Whitney's entire life. This is an amazing retrospective that celebrates Whitney with never-before-seen footage and Kevin approaches her life with no blinders on. He captures all of Whitney's magic, and he does not ignore the hard times. This is a film that will truly thrill all who knew and loved her as a musician, actress, model and so much more."

The film is due out in theatres on July 6 via Roadside Attractions and Miramax.

NYC Council Approves Wu-Tang Clan And Notorious B.I.G. Street Names

Notorious B.I.G. and the Wu-Tang Clan are steps closer to becoming a permanent part of New York City, their hometown and one of the birthplaces of hip-hop.

The New York City council has unanimously voted to have a Booklyn street become Christopher Wallace Way (after Biggie) and a Staten Island street become Wu-Tang Clan District. The measures are still pending Mayor Bill de Blasio's signature.

The street Notorious B.I.G. grew up will be co-named "Christopher Wallace Way." There will also be a "Wu-Tang Clan District" in Staten Island. pic.twitter.com/CTpLIM36jp

"As soon as you put a name on a street sign, you say something about the public importance of that individual," University of Tenn. Geography Professor Derek Alderman told NPR. "Hip-hop deserves that respect."

Brooklyn Community Board 2 first approved the re-naming petition 33-1 in November.

NYC resident LeRoy McCarthy, who led the naming initiatives for both streets, thinks naming a street after Biggie symbolizes something greater than the rapper. "It symbolizes a culture. It symbolizes a borough. It symbolizes a people, and hip-hop is worldwide,” he toldRolling Stone.

The council also voted to name a street after Woody Guthriein Coney Island, where the iconic folk singer lived in the 1940s.

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The block expected to become Christopher Wallace Way is on St. James Place between Fulton Street and Gates Avenue where B.I.G. actually grew up. Wu-Tang Clan District will be centered on the intersection of Vanderbilt Avenue and Targee Street, the location of Sobel Court Park, according to Rolling Stone.

The news of the council passing the measures came shortly after Chuck D was announced as chairman of the celebrity board for the Universal Hip-Hop Museum to open in Brooklyn in 2022.

How New Artists Can Build A Following In 2019, According To SoundCloud

The artist and label services team at SoundCloud has some advice for artists hoping to grow their audiences in 2019: Be “YOUnique.”

Nov 4, 2014 – 3:40 pm

Ledisi Has Three I's For Social Media

As summed up in a handy list on Hypebot, there are a few ways aspiring artists can build a following: Keep to a consistent schedule of uploads (Fridays are reportedly the best days to release new music), and stay inspired by listening to your fellow artists. You never know when you’ll discover a new friend and/or collaborator.

But above all, when marketing yourself, remember to be "YOUnique": after all, being real is part of what makes music compelling.

SoundCloud also advises artists to pay close attention to their fan network (yes, that means reading the comments section) and study the streaming analytics available with the service’s SoundCloud Pro package. It always helps to know what your listeners are gravitating toward the most, right?

Check out SoundCloud’s advice for aspiring artists over at HypeBot, and the best of luck to all of you creators in 2019.

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.